This is a question I get asked where ever I post so I figured I would make this easy and design a 4 week phase to have address this problem.

Some things to consider.

* This is not for the advanced lifter * This assumes your technique is rock solid * This assumes you are not hurt or injured* This assumes you have your head out of your ass and think you can overcome this sticking point. * This assumes you have the equipment I will be listing in this program. Please do not ask me what to do if you don't have X or Y. This is all designed to work together. If you don't have x or y then don't do the phase.

I feel when designing a program you need to look at all three means of increasing muscle tension; the maximal effort method, the dynamic effort method and the repetition method. All three are utilized in this phase.

Week 1

Day 1

Bench Press - Dynamic * begin with the bar and make sure all warm up sets are executed with perfect control and technique.

* Once you hit 50% of your best bench stay at this weight and preform 9 sets of 3 reps. You will use three different grips. With a texas power bar these grips will be one figure on the smooth (close), a thumb away from the smooth (medium) and forefinger on the rings (wide). On this week you will take 60 seconds between sets and push the bar as fast (while keeping control) as you can.

Flat Dumbbell Presses * 2-3 warm up sets* After you are warmed up you will work your way up in weight making sure to hit a set of 12/10/ and then two heavy sets of 8 with the same weight. * rest as long as needed between sets.

Pushdowns - Close Grip One Board Press* 2 warm up sets of 10-12 * 3 sets going to failure on the pushdowns between 15-20 reps immediately followed by close grip one board presses for 5 reps. Your strength on the one board press will suck - no big deal - push as hard as you can and get the reps. * rest as long as needed

Chain Press * warm up the same as you would the bench press - dynamic. * When you get to 60% preform 3 reps. * With each succeeding set add one chain per side (so the chain is totally deloaded while the bar is on your chest). Keep working up in chains until 3 reps is VERY hard to do but you still do it. Don't work up so high that you can't do the required reps. * Rest as long as needed between sets.

Dumbbell Extensions on the Floor * 2-3 warm up sets * Find a weight that you could do 12 reps with and preform 4 sets of 10 reps with 60 seconds between sets.

Barbell Pushups * Position a barbell at the bottom of a power rack so it will not move. * Use an ultra wide grip (forefinger past the rings).* Perform 4 sets to failure. If you can do over 20 reps per set add chains across your back. You want to fail between 8-12 reps. * 2 minutes between sets

Dumbbell Rows * Pause the bell on the floor between reps * 2 warm up sets and then 3 sets of 10 reps.* Rest as long as needed

Face Pulls * 4 sets 15-20 reps * rest as long as needed

Week 2

Day 1

Bench Press - Dynamic * begin with the bar and make sure all warm up sets are executed with perfect control and technique.

* Once you hit 50% of your best bench stay at this weight and preform 9 sets of 3 reps. You will use three different grips. With a texas power bar these grips will be one figure on the smooth (close), a thumb away from the smooth (medium) and forefinger on the rings (wide). On this week you will take 45 seconds between sets and push the bar as fast (while keeping control) as you can.

Flat Dumbbell Presses * 2-3 warm up sets* After you are warmed up you will work your way up in weight making sure to hit a set of 12/10/8 and then two heavy sets of 6 with the same weight. * rest as long as needed between sets.

Pushdowns - Close Grip One Board Press* 2 warm up sets of 10-12 * 2 sets going to failure on the pushdowns between 15-20 reps immediately followed by close grip one board presses for 5 reps. Your strength on the one board press will suck - no big deal - push as hard as you can and get the reps. * rest as long as needed.

Chain Press * warm up the same as you would the bench press - dynamic. * When you get to 60% preform 3 reps. * With each succeeding set add one chain per side (so the chain is totally deloaded while the bar is on your chest). Keep working up in chains until 3 reps is VERY hard to do but you still do it. Don't work up so high that you can't do the required reps. *BEAT YOUR RECORD FROM LAST WEEK! * Rest as long as needed between sets.

Dumbbell Extensions on the Floor * 2-3 warm up sets * Find a weight that you could do 12 reps with and preform 4 sets of 8 reps with 45 seconds between sets.

Barbell Pushups * Position a barbell at the bottom of a power rack so it will not move. * Use an ultra wide grip (forefinger past the rings).* Perform 4 sets to failure. If you can do over 20 reps per set add chains across your back. You want to fail between 8-12 reps. * 90 seconds between sets

Dumbbell Rows * Pause the bell on the floor between reps * 2 warm up sets and then 3 sets of 8 reps. * Rest as long as needed

Face Pulls * 4 sets 15-20 reps * Rest as long as needed

Week 3

Day 1

Bench Press - Dynamic * begin with the bar and make sure all warm up sets are executed with perfect control and technique.

* Once you hit 50% of your best bench stay at this weight and preform 9 sets of 3 reps. You will use three different grips. With a texas power bar these grips will be one figure on the smooth (close), a thumb away from the smooth (medium) and forefinger on the rings (wide). On this week you will take 30 seconds between sets and push the bar as fast (while keeping control) as you can.

Flat Dumbbell Presses * 2-3 warm up sets* After you are warmed up you will work your way up in weight making sure to hit a set of 12/10/8 and then two heavy sets of 5 with the same weight. * rest as long as needed between sets.

Pushdowns - Close Grip One Board Press* 2 warm up sets of 10-12 * 2 sets going to failure on the pushdowns between 15-20 reps immediately followed by close grip one board presses for 3 reps. Your strength on the one board press will suck - no big deal - push as hard as you can and get the reps. * rest as long as needed.

Chain Press * warm up the same as you would the bench press - dynamic. * When you get to 60% preform 3 reps. * With each succeeding set add one chain per side (so the chain is totally deloaded while the bar is on your chest). Keep working up in chains until 1 reps is VERY hard to do but you still do it. Don't work up so high that you can't do the required rep. * Rest as long as needed between sets.

Dumbbell Extensions on the Floor * 2-3 warm up sets * Find a weight that you could do 12 reps with and preform 4 sets of 8 reps with 30 seconds between sets.

Barbell Pushups * Position a barbell at the bottom of a power rack so it will not move. * Use an ultra wide grip (forefinger past the rings).* Perform 4 sets to failure. If you can do over 20 reps per set add chains across your back. You want to fail between 8-12 reps. * 60 seconds between sets

Dumbbell Rows * Pause the bell on the floor between reps * 2 warm up sets and then 3 sets of 6 reps. * Rest as long as needed

Face Pulls * 4 sets 15-20 reps * Rest as long as needed

Week 4

Day 1

Bench Press - Dynamic * begin with the bar and make sure all warm up sets are executed with perfect control and technique.

* Once you hit 50% of your best bench stay at this weight and preform 9 sets of 3 reps. You will use three different grips. With a texas power bar these grips will be one figure on the smooth (close), a thumb away from the smooth (medium) and forefinger on the rings (wide). On this week you will take 90 seconds between sets and push the bar as fast (while keeping control) as you can.

Flat Dumbbell Presses * 2-3 warm up sets* After you are warmed up you will work your way up in weight making sure to hit a set of 12 and then two heavy sets of 10 with the same weight. * rest as long as needed between sets.

Pushdowns - Close Grip One Board Press* 2 warm up sets of 10-12 * 2 sets going to failure on the pushdowns between 15-20 reps immediately followed by close grip one board presses for 6 reps. Your strength on the one board press will suck - no big deal - push as hard as you can and get the reps. * rest as long as needed.

Chain Press * warm up the same as you would the bench press - dynamic. * When you get to 60% preform 3 reps. * With each succeeding set add one chain per side (so the chain is totally deloaded while the bar is on your chest). Keep working up in chains until 1 reps is VERY hard to do but you still do it. Don't work up so high that you can't do the required rep. *BEAT YOUR RECORD FROM LAST WEEK * Rest as long as needed between sets.

Dumbbell Extensions on the Floor * 2-3 warm up sets * Find a weight that you could do 12 reps with and preform 4 sets of 12 reps with 90 seconds between sets.

Barbell Pushups * Position a barbell at the bottom of a power rack so it will not move. * Use an ultra wide grip (forefinger past the rings).* Perform 4 sets to failure. If you can do over 20 reps per set add chains across your back. You want to fail between 8-12 reps. * 2 minutes between sets

Dumbbell Rows * Pause the bell on the floor between reps * 2 warm up sets and then 3 sets of 5 reps. * Rest as long as needed

Face Pulls * 4 sets 15-20 reps * Rest as long as needed

Week 5

Day 1

Bench Press - Dynamic * begin with the bar and make sure all warm up sets are executed with perfect control and technique.

* Once you hit 50% of your best bench stay at this weight and preform 4-5 sets of 3 reps. You will use your strongest grip. After these sets begin to work your way up to test your strength on a one or 3 rep max.